August Sander: People of the 20th Century

by August Sander (Photographer), Susanne Lange, Gabriele Conrath-Scholl

Revered as a father of modern photography, August Sander (1876– 1964) so refined the art of portraiture that his moving images of his fellow countrymen have been heralded both as an important sociological document and a photographic masterpiece. But those images make up only a portion of this deluxe seven-volume set, which will stand as the definitive collection of Sander's considerable achievement. The books include some 150 never-before-seen images and essays by leading experts on the German photographer's work. Praising Sander's "vision . . . his knowledge, and his immense photographic talent," the writer Alfred Döblin "Those who know how to look will learn from his clear and powerful photographs, and will discover more about themselves and more about others."

Genres: Photography, Art, Nonfiction

1400 pages, Hardcover

First published April 17, 1986

About the author

August Sander (1876-1964) was a German photographer whose work documented the society he lived in. Lauded as one the most important portrait photographers of the early 20th century, Sander focused his gaze on bricklayers, farmers, bakers, and other members of the community. “Nothing seemed to me more appropriate than to project an image of our time with absolute fidelity to nature by means of photography,” he once declared. “Let me speak the truth in all honesty about our age and the people of our age.”

Born in Herdorf, Germany on November 17, 1876, Sanders learned photography during his military service in the city of Trier. By 1910, he had moved to a suburb of Cologne, spending his days biking along the roads to find people to photograph. By the time the Nazi regime rose to power in the 1930s, Sander was considered an authority on photography and recognized for his book Face of Our Time (1929). During this era, he faced both personal persecution and the systematic destruction of his work. Following the death of his son in 1944, and the destruction of his work in 1946, Sander practically ceased photography altogether. He died in Cologne, Germany on April 20, 1964 at the age of 87.

Today, the artist’s works are held in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne, among others.

Reviews

[Zioluc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foto eccezionali, quanto la storia dell'autore che le ha realizzate. Con un bello scritto di Doblin, per nulla invecchiato (che sollievo leggere un testo dritto e concreto a corredo di un libro fotografico, al posto delle solite tirate da accademici).

[Philippe Malzieu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of photography at Goodreads, blasphemes. Do not display yet the garlic and the crucifixes. This book is one of most important XX° century.
When I was student, I took many photographs which I developed the night especially girlfriends. The challenge was clear Avedon or nothing. It was nothing. But I saw much exposure and I created my taste
The project of Sander is to photograph each trade. All these German of the Weimar Republic poses in their situation of work. They are serious and fix the objective without smile. Only which slices with the others is of course Raoul Haussmann "Ein dadaish artist". In a photo, he's with Vera Broïdo, a very interesting woman.
Each photograph tells a story, each photograph is a destiny. Where they will be in 15 to 20 years? Will they die in Stalingrad? Will they be guards of camp? In these ordinary faces, we see the part of dark of each one. The butcher frightens me. I find it threatening. However, this man makes only his trade with his well sharpened knives. It is the banality of the evil described so well by Arendt. Ordinary people who become monsters because the situation enables them to become it.
This book beyond historical testimony is a deep meditation on the human nature. And one begins to dream. If Ratheneau had not been assassinated, no revolution, no disorder, no Hitler…

[Barbara Hugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story of a remarkable photographer in early 1900’s Germany. It’s a shame many of his photos didn’t survive.

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Walter Benjamin put it, this is a Übungsatlas, an atlas of physiological exercises as opposed to the then new (anti) portraits of photographic and cinematic culture in Soviet Russia. Sanders' photography emerges from the necessity of a new portraiture form not only for a new social class (as in Soviet cinema), but moreover for a new interest on a scientific comprehension of social collectivity. His photos are highly influential – aesthetically speaking – and definitely showed the way to the majority of photographers that followed.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't really say why I decided to buy these books, but I've always loved good photography, and I'd heard a lot about this guy.

One thing I will say, this collection is so extensive and organized so meticulously that it almost seems like in reading the whole set, you are following some sort of progression, or plot. Whether the author intended it to be taken just that way, I don't know. But the photographs themselves, either way, are great.

[P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really liked meandering through these portraits.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing photographer and I cherish his work. I often look at these 'archives' for inspiration.

[Amalia Liogas · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite photographers. His portraits are truly memorable. Make sure to take a look at the photo of the chef in his kitchen.

[Elizabetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must for all lovers of documentary photography or German history of the 20th century.